New Delhi Conference on Climate Change.

• Author: Sethi, Sanjay
• Position: Recent Trends

The Eighth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change concluded in New Delhi, India, with 185 countries adopting the Delhi Ministerial Declaration on climate change and sustainable development. The Declaration asserts that in addition to mitigation, high priority must be given to adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change.

The New Delhi Conference adopted a number of decisions on institutions and procedures of the Kyoto Protocol, expected to enter into force in 2003, which commits developed countries to reducing overall emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases during 2008-2012. A major accomplishment was making the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) fully operational. By channelling private-sector investment into emission reduction projects in developing countries, CDM will promote sustainable development while offering industrialized countries credits against their Kyoto targets.

The Conference concluded three years of work on the procedures for reporting and reviewing emissions data from developed countries...